Block-signal system.



J. VV. MURPHY.

BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1912.V i 1,094,91 8. Patented A131128, '1914.

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BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1912.

1,094,918. Patented Apr.28,1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. W. MURPHY.

BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLIGATIQN FILED APR. 29, 1912.

1,094,918. u Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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Jeunes WMM h y i, @im-p iL/ J. W. MURPHY. BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM. l APPLIOATION FILED 11111.29, 1912.

1 ,094,9 1 8. Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

COLUMBIA PLANQGRAPH C0.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

"UNTED STATES PATENT @FFQEQ JAMES W. MURPHY, OF AKRON, OHIO.

BLOCK-SIEG'NAL SYSTEM.

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To all @0.7mm 'it may concern.'

Be it known that JAMES lV. MURPHY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Uhio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Block-Signal Systems, of which the following is a specication.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means of the kind stated that can be installed and maintained at small cost and whereby a signalman is prevented from manipulating his signal operating lever without the cooperation of the signalman at the next station.

My invention has for an important feature means including automatic electrically operated selective devices included in the main lino whereby the signalman must operate his signal from danger or normal position to caution position or from caution to safe or clear position within a limited time, otherwise he is precluded from operating it at all except upon a fresh release from the man at the distant station.

L further feature of the invention is that means are provided whereby the operation of the signal lever from danger position to caution position causes the breaking of the circuit independent of an automatic breaking of the circuit at the automatic selector so that independent of such automatic breaking of the circuit the signalman cannot, even if he would, move the signal operating lever in one movement from danger position to clear position. To move the signal from danger or normal through caution position to clear position therefore requires two distinct operations of the selector key by the signalman at the distant station thus insuring ample time for the signalmen to consider the propriety and safety of their acts.

The invention is embodied in the apparatus and combinations of parts herein shown and described, the features of novelty being pointed out in the appended claims.

in the accoi'npanying drawings forming part hereof-Figure l illustrates diagramL matically, and in most respects conventionally, the parts and combinations of parts as l' employ them in practice in connection with a telegraph line. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the invention as used in connection with a telephone line. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the controller, Fig. e is a front elevation of the selector key. Fig. 5 is an Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 29, 1912.

Patented Apr. 28, Mitte.

Serial No. 694,013.

end view of the same with parts broken out. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line V-V showing the selector key mechanism, the front plate being removed. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the telegraph key. Fig. 8 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 9 is a detail illustrating the signal and operating mechanism.

The portions of the diagram, Fig. l, on each side of the line ViW illustrate the apparatus and wiring at each of two adjacent stations designated for convenience X and Y. The apparatus or instruments and wiring at each of the two stations are substantially identical and the parts that correspond to each other at the two stations in the drawings are designated by like characters of reference, hence a description of the apparatus at one station will suiiice for both.

In the views at l is an ordinary telegraph relay and at 2 is a controller or rotary circuit breaker (see Fig. 3) having metallic closers a and e and f. ft is a telegraph key having contacts c and and c.

Referring toFigs. 7 and 8 which illustrate the telegraph key the base 25 has mounted upon it the key lever 26 with a spi-ino' 27 for holding the telegraphing contacts separated as usual. The base is provided with the contact members Z), o and 7c insulated -from the base and with a switch lever 28 having arms 1, c1 and 701 which can be swung to close or open the contacts Z), c and 7U as shown by full and broken lines, Fig. 7. In the normal position the contacts Z) and c are closed. To permit manipulation of the key for the purpose of ordinary.communication the lever 28 is moved to the position indicated by broken lines, Fig. 7, thereby breaking the contact at c and making cont-act at 7e. The normal position of the parts shown in full lines is that for receiving messages and the selector operating impulses, For outgoing messages or operation the lever 2S is moved to the broken line position.

At fl is the selector key. This selector key which is shown in detail in Figs. lto 6 inclusive includes the code-wheel 30 having a shaft 30 journaled in a frame 3l, said codewheel 30 having its rim provided with teeth and spaces, the teeth to act on a spring arm having one of the contacts a. In connection with the code-wheel is a train of pinions and gears 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38. The shaft 33 has a suitable spring 39 for propelling the train. rlhe shaft 33a is pro- 1 to engage a pawl 33d on said Wheel 33 the shaft B3 ie one direcspi"L Si) of said wheel can be 5 placed under 'tension VI'o rote, 'e the wheel 32:3 in (ai direction. 'llhe Shaft 33 eide ie provided permits their sepa- *turned to place the i lor an actuation ,l lrni being` turned l ion o permit the spring "l j one oli Suid contacte m Vto more emi i. un the other. 'lho actuation oil" the e g-irheel propel@T retarded bj] means ou irdinary 'atchet 12 geared to ujf in ring; trein in connection u'illi an lent rre o i5 the automatic selector haring conieto :it /z. r practice l propose to use in i in .my equipment the Selective nnection u l devicey emunio vrill eelccror9 iig; the l;emprary closing of a ciril eul'he l 1e represente circuit elosihe connects of such a del will he plain that y ie actuated the iieceeelec'l ical impulseeA will by oneralion of the code-Wheel u the automatic Selector to ite open `ioii and the eloeinggI of the ,7L and that during' a limited period, thirty Seconde, When that portion of the oli the codo-Wheel between the points yewe operating to hold the contact the eircr t of the eloctroanagiiet 8 5 ,0 'the latch lever will be closed norfgizing said magnet and raising lerer and permitting the operaal lever. Therefore it is 'l period that the signalnian at the lation muet operaio his Signal herwiee the parte or the autrinatic 1v ector uuloinatiealli/,f return to normal porender it iiripracticahle or him to .e f= i L:l the agent at 'the remote eeleclior hoff.

' oil' the ordinerv7 three povtable coiu'iection rl`he lerer 1() with its lower end .jeerred a block T havv into which can Aloll the da .'i l er1 'iature 12 oper ly the electro-muguet 8 included in Jche containing :i battery (S.

circuit lo 25 il'heu the latching armature or lever 12 engages; the notch 13 the lever 10 is iii blocking position and is locked but when the said lo"cl1ing armature is in the notch 111 the lever ie a caution poeition and cannot be moved to eleem7J position except upon a second operation of the Selector hey or a skilful manipulation of the te egreph hey to eend corresponding impulser. ltrrnn ite` position in notch 14-y however, 'the lever 10 ea n be mover. rev/creol;Y to notch 123 or the blocking; or danger-indicating poeition because o1 the inclined eide o'j vSaid notch 14.-. ,lfi'i the clear poeition of the lover 10 the latching end. oit the armature l2 reste upon the top of the block 7 at 111e.

ll is a local circuit conreiiieutly energized. by a portion of the battery 11 when the eig'- nal lever 10 is relez eed; and. sai d circuit can include an audible signal at 9 and :i makeand-break at gg Said inale-ainlehreali being operated by the arn'mture 12 to close the circuit il.

'.lhe main or outside line is designated lo This line Comes in through relay 1, :ind ilroin the rela)7 the line or conductor desig- 1 ated fr poe through telegraph hey 33 the Contact m o automatic selector l-ey il, controller 2, selector 5 to ground 'lfhe line fr also has a branch rou'cluctor 1P through Contact n of automatic selector hey 11;. The lirl l? beyond lrey 1 is coiu'iectedA with a con duclior E roni Contact is, Said. conductor E running to controller 2 and thence through haltery 11 to ground at G.

.it will. he underetood, of Conroe that appropriate caoiuge With locks or both locke and Seule for Such parte ao Shorle1 not be tampered with Will. be proi/'ided The operation ie as follows: The leleiph circuit, outgoinf.;u troni either station is r may oe traced from ground G, through batter;T 11, to conductor E, through controller 2, to Contact 7c. moring the cir `uit breaker or lever of the telegraph l4v ,y 3

to contact ir, contact c is broken7 perinir i telegraphic operation through conductor and fr through telegraph rela;7 1 and line Il A.

The telegraph circuit7 incoming, at either '"e through telegraph Station is from lino rrela7 .niarled 1, to telegraph he i contact 7) Vto c (the lei/er 10 being in normal position) to m thence ou conductor *.ghrough controller Q to coils or magnete of selector thence to ground (l. The ihe nr ingI lock release circuit at either Station ie first through the automatic Selector hey of the Sending station, then 'troni the li ue L il through relayl on conductor to f3, through tele graph key 3, through contacte 7 aud c lo automatic selector lef. 4l; thriugh Contact.

m to conluctor thrmigh controller Q lo selector and ground 'lhe telegraph hey ol.I a Sending Station can he niahipulaleil to produce a code like hat of the :iuoinatic Selector key ane the operation of that eeler.s-

tor key omitted but this can only be done by a skilful operator and one who has knowledge of the code or codes of the selector keys.

The selector upon receiving its code or selective impulses will canse contact L to close, thereby energizing conductor B, through battery 6, through magnet 8, and lifting armature latch l2 of lock thereby releasing block 7, and permitting the controlling signal lever 10 to be moved. And the plane portion of the code wheel from notch g to notch p will hold the contact n closed, to thus maintain the signal lever in an unlocked condition for a short period of time only, in which time the operator must operate his signal, if he operates it at all for that operation of the selector key. The lifting of armature 12, closes contact g, closing circuit H, through battery ll, and ringing bell 9, thereby notifying the signal operator that lever lO is released. In moving lever l0 from its normal position, which is that shown on the diagrams, contact c is broken by controller 2 thereby opening conductor and causing selector 5 to break circuit B at contact 7b. The breaking of circuit B due to the movement of lever l0, or to contact n dropping in notch 7) of code wheel 30 (in casethe operator fails to move lever l0 within the limited time) and cutting out main line through selector 5, controlling contact /L permits armature l2 to drop into notch la. To release block 7 from this new position the operation of the selector key mustbe repeated and while the lever 10 is held in its position at said notch 14e.

ihe outgoing' lock release at either station is thus: rllhe automatic selector key, when making and breaking the circuit at Contact n causes contact m to be broken thus starting current. at ground G, through battery l1 on conducto-r E through controller 2, to conductor F, through contact n to line ik A and thence to the other signal office through the conductors in the same manner as described before to ground G.

it will be observed, for example, that in single track work and with the signals in normal position and locked the signalman at one station X desiring to permit a train to proceed to the next station Y cannot place his own signal (at X) in proceed l position until the signal (at X) is unlocked electrically by the signalman at the next station Y and reversely. Further thatl while the signal is at a station at proceed position the ngau at that station (X) cannot unlock the signal governing opposing movements at the next station (Y) and reversely. lt is impracticable for two opposing block signals to be in the proceed position at the same time because when a signal lever lO is moved from normal position the releasing circuit is broken thereby making it impossible to operate the release at the other station. A caution block may be given and controlled by the signalman at the station in advance in the same manner as can be given a clear block. In this construction also a signalman is prevented from giving a train a proceed block without first cooperating with the signalman at the station in advance. From force of habit signalmen have often heretofore given trains a clear block when a caution block was the proper one. lVith my system this often occurring and accident-causing mistake is avoided.

From the construction shown it will be observed that the function of the controller is to prevent full operation of the signal lever and to permit telegraphing or communication by the sending or releasing agent to the lever operating agent but cutting ott communication by the lever operating agent because his telegraph key is cut out of the circuit. Further the lever operating agent cannot release the signal controlling the opposing' movement at the other' station because the releasing key is cut out by the position of the controller. To permit both age-nts to communicate with each other both signal levers must be in danger position.

My invention can be used with great advantage on double-track roads either for following movements of trains or for positive blocking.

Vhere a block wire is already in use the invention can loe used in connection with that wire and the expense of running a new wire therefor avoided. Nhen used on a block wire there is no interference with the telegraph service for blocking trains. A block wire, however, should be cut at each block station. The invention can also be used in connection with telephone circuits, as indicated in Fig. 2 where GO designates simplex or repeating coils and Gl telephones, the other parts being the same except that the telegraph key and relay are not shown.

The expense of installation is extremely small as compared with that o-f other systems and the cost of maintenance is triliing because the usual telegraph lineman can take care of the equipment along with his other work.

Among the advantages of the invention, it might be stated, that by the use of the selector key, herein described, for maintaining the circuit of the lock-operating means closed for a limited period of time, the signal-men at the two stations are compelled to operate their signals at the same time. rlhat is to say, the signal-man at one station cannot advise the signal-man at the other station that he will release his signal, and permit him to operate his signal at some future time, as for instance, while or after the signalman at the first-mentioned station takes a rest, or

in an unlocked position for a limited period of time, and to automatically open the circuit through said line Wire to permit the locking means to return to locked position.

6. block signal system, including in combination, a line ivire connecting tivo stations, tivo branch circuits at each station, a signal and signal operating device at each st ation, means included in one ot said branch circuits at each station for controlling the locking of the signal operating device in different positions, means at each station included in the other of said branch circuits for controlling the locking and unlocking means at each station through the line Wire, said controlling means including means for maintaining the locking means in unlocked position for a limited period oi" time and for releasing and returning the locking means to locked position.

7. n. block signal system, including` in combination, a line Wire connecting tivo stations, two branch circuits at each station, a signal and signal operating device at each station, electrically controlled means in one ot' said branch circuits at each station Jfor controlling the locking of the sional operating device in ditlerent positions, means included in the other branch circuit at each station tor electrically controlling through the line Wire the locking and unlocking of the signal locking means at each station, and a circuit breaker included in the last mentioned branch circuit and actuated by the movement ot the signal operating device for rendering inoperative the electrically controlled locking means during the movement of the signal operating device from one position to another.

8. A block signal system, including in combination, a line Wire connecting two stations, tivo branch circuits at each station, a signal and signal operating means at each station, locks for said signal operating means, electrically controlled means tor operating said locks, including a selective device included in one of said branch circuits, at each station, a spring actuated key ineluded in the other or" said branch circuits at each station for controlling the operation of the selective devices at each station, said keys having means cooperating with contacts to make and break the line Wire circuit to operate the selective devices and to hold said contacts in closed position to close the station connecting circuit for a limited period of time after the operation of the selective device, to thereby maintain the signal locking means in unlocked position during said limited period of time to permit the operation ot' the signal Within such time only, and to automatically separate said contacts to open the station connecting circuit and thereby cause the signal locking means to return to locked position.

9. In a signal system, a signal and means for operating the same, electrically controlled means for locking and unlocking the signal operating means, apparatus placed at a distance from the signal and electrically connected With said locking and unlocking` means and adapted to transmit electrical impulses to control the operation of the signal locking means and to maintain said locking means in an unlocked position for a limited period of time and release said locking means att-er said impulses have been transmitted.

l0. ln a signal system, a signal and means for operating the same, means for locking the signal in several different positions against operation in one direction, electri" cally controlled means. for controlling said locking means, a line Wire, and a branch circuit including' said electrically controlled means, and an apparatus arranged at a distance from the signal and connected With said line Wire adapted to transmit electrical impulses to said electrically controlled means to unlock the signal operating means and to close the circuit to maintain the locking means in an unlocked position for a limited period of time and to open the circuit to release said locking means after said impulses have been transmitted, and a controller operated by the signal operating means to open the circuit when said signal operating means is moved.

JAMES W'. MURPHY. lfilitnesses BENJAMN FNoiiEL,

J. G. Huilen.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

